


Family Ties

by ZoneRobotnik



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Family Angst, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Team Awesome (Disney: Tangled), Varian Angst (Disney)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26029528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: After Hamuel lands on the lever, most of the battle party is sucked into the portal intended for Zhan Tiri and the Brotherhood are guarding it! Left with no other choice, Eugene and Varian return to Cassandra's tower with their fathers to destroy the Mindtrap.
Relationships: Edmund & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Quirin & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 57





	Family Ties

**Author's Note:**

> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney
> 
> (Inspired by eugene_is_my_kryptonite on Instagram)

It happened before Varian could even blink. That dumb bird had landed on the lever that he’d narrowly avoided getting pulled by his dad and everyone in range had been sucked inside when it fully activated the portal. He’d managed to avoid being sucked in as well because he was next to his father when it happened, and now…now he was suddenly realizing just how _alone_ he was.  
  
Eugene had left with his father, and his _own_ father was… He looked down at his unconscious father, the helmet still on his head just…just in case he woke up and got Mindtrapped again.   
  
Eugene and his father came running back in. “What—where _is_ everyone?” Eugene asked, looking around.  
  
“They got sucked into the portal!” Varian said, pointing at the crow still sitting on the lever accusingly. He flew off it and landed on King Edmund’s shoulder, as if he hadn’t done anything wrong.  
  
“Come on, dad!” Eugene said, looking at him. “If we don’t get our friends back and get this thing up and running, Rapunzel’s whole plan will fall apart!”  
  
“Then, let’s get moving.” King Edmund said, then added to himself – or maybe the bird? – “Although, they really are more _his_ friends.”  
  
Varian gasped and moved behind his father more as Hector’s bearcats came in and moved a _little_ too close to him for comfort. One of them swiped at him to make him back away and the other yanked off his father’s helmet.  
  
“No!” Varian cried, then backed up a bit more as the bearcat swiping at him advanced on him.  
  
“Kid!” Eugene ran over, but Quirin was already getting up and shoving the bearcat aside. “Oh, _please_ , be in your right mind.” He said worriedly.  
  
“Varian, are you alright?” Quirin asked, looking him over anxiously.  
  
They heard a crunch of metal and something zapping and looked over to see Hector had smashed the helmet under his foot. Varian clutched at his father anxiously, his eyes shaking in fear.  
  
“Hello, Your Majesty.” Hector greeted King Edmund, walking towards them. Quirin carefully led Varian away from the wall, keeping him behind him.  
  
It occurred to Varian that maybe, _just_ _maybe_ , it would have been good for him to learn how to fight from _someone_. His father, Eugene, even _Andrew_ could’ve taught him, but instead he was left completely helpless at times when learning to fight would have _really_ come in handy!  
  
“I’m sorry, what were you saying about _my_ friends?” Eugene asked as Adira stepped into the room, her eyes glowing just like Hector’s.  
  
They drew their swords as they charged at them and Eugene, Edmund and Quirin prepared to fight. Varian took off his backpack to get out goo bombs and whatever else he thought would help.  
  
Quirin stayed by his side and fended off bearcats while Eugene took on Adira and King Edmund battled Hector. Varian watched the battle closely from behind the safety of his father as he calculated just how much of a chance he had of immobilizing the Mindtrapped fighters.  
  
“Varian, don’t draw more attention to yourself.” Quirin told him as he whacked the bearcats away again. “They have it handled; you just stay _safe_.”  
  
“Y-Yeah.” He put the goo bombs away, closing up his backpack to put it on his back before he got up.   
  
“Ohhh, these guys are tough.” Eugene said as he and King Edmund swapped battle partners.  
  
“Well, they _were_ trained by the best.” King Edmund replied as he wrestled with Adira. He punched her to knock her back and looked thoughtful. “Probably should not be _proud_ of that fact, at this moment.”  
  
Adira slammed into him with a growl and King Edmund fell back.  
  
Hamuel flew out of reach of a bearcat and landed on Varian’s backpack, taking advantage of Quirin protecting the teenager to keep himself safe.  
  
“Are you _ever_ going to be useful?” Varian asked the crow with an annoyed tone.  
  
The crow just blinked and tilted its head at him.  
  
“Yeah, I know, big talk from the useless kid.” Varian rolled his eyes.  
  
The bearcats lunged at Quirin at once and he stumbled back, just before King Edmund and Eugene were also knocked back near the entrance. The only one standing now, Varian stepped back in alarm and pulled out his goo bombs to throw them.   
  
They dodged. Of course, they dodged. Quirin got up and held Varian protectively as Eugene and King Edmund got up again.  
  
“Alright, alright, look,” Eugene started as they all stepped back from the fighters. “The only way I see us getting to that machine is to get the Brotherhood back on our side.” He looked at his father.  
  
“Yes, but we’d have to know where Cassandra has hidden the Mindtrap.” King Edmund pointed out.  
  
“I think I know where it is.” Varian said, feeling a sense of dread.   
  
“Where?” King Edmund looked at him.  
  
“It’s where I was taken to. The tower.” Varian wrapped his arms around himself.  
  
Eugene nodded grimly. “I suggest we get going _now_ , then.” He prompted, as the fighters and bearcats ran at them.  
  
They turned and fled, Quirin scooping Varian up into his arms as they ran to their horses, Varian and Quirin getting on Fidella as Eugene got on Maximus and King Edmund got on his own horse. Hamuel was still on Varian’s backpack, apparently deciding it was a nice perch, until they actually got going and he decided flying was better.  
  
\--  
  
With the fighters on foot and them on horses, they outran them easily and were soon approaching the tower. Quirin held the reins, Varian sitting between his strong arms as he hugged himself nervously.  
  
“Come on,” Eugene said, prompting them to change direction, “Cassandra’s tower is just up this way.”  
  
“Oh, boy.” King Edmund said, looking over his shoulder.  
  
That didn’t bode well. “What? What is it?” Eugene asked.  
  
They got their answer when Hector came through the trees, riding on his huge rhino, the bearcats running alongside.  
  
“Fantastic.” Eugene said weakly.  
  
King Edmund groaned. “Why did I _ever_ let him get a _rhino_?”   
  
“Because you forgot about his birthday and wanted to make up for it, so you said ‘yes’.” Quirin reminded him.  
  
“Oh, yeah.” King Edmund nodded.  
  
“Oh, your old pals are persistent, _that’s_ for sure!” Eugene said, looking at his father before he looked forward again. “Max, let’s shake ‘em!”  
  
They weaved through the trees, but the rhino just crashed right through. Just as it caught up, they turned a different direction and let the rhino keep running on that way.  
  
“You said the tower was _that_ way.” King Edmund reminded him.  
  
“Yeah, well, we’re taking a scenic route!” Eugene exasperatedly explained. “Rhinos are fast and can bust through just about anything, but I’m willing to bet there’s _one_ thing they _can’t_ do.”  
  
“What’s that?” King Edmund asked.  
  
They rode on a bit longer until they reached a wide gap with a river below. “Jump!” Eugene said, and the three horses jumped over the gap with ease. As soon as they touched down, Quirin looked at Varian to make sure he was okay.  
  
“I’m fine, dad.” Varian assured him, feeling a bit embarrassed.  
  
They looked over to see Hector get knocked off the rhino by his bearcats bumping into it and falling into the river. Eugene gave a smug, two-fingered salute and then they rode on.  
  
\--  
  
“Huh.” King Edmund said as they entered the tower. “And you said _my_ old place was creepy.”  
  
“No, I said your old place was ‘ _disturbing’_.” Eugene corrected.  
  
“Son, are you alright?” Quirin asked, looking at Varian.  
  
Varian nodded, but he felt anything _but_ alright. Being here, again, after what he’d experienced here…seeing these stairs, again, after being forced to walk up them…  
  
“I said the _bear hood_ you used to wear was ‘creepy’.” Eugene went on.  
  
“Dabney?” King Edmund sounded offended. “You think Dabney is creepy?”  
  
What’s creepy is that he _named_ it, really.  
  
“Well, fine.” King Edmund went on as they started up the stairs, leaving the horses at the bottom. “I thought your, uh, _kneepads_ were, uh, _not fashionable_.”  
  
“That’s a good comeback, Dad.” Eugene remarked.  
  
Quirin and Varian exchanged amused looks as they listened to them, but then Varian’s smile faltered as they went higher and higher up what used to be his prison. He could still recall the taste of truth serum in his mouth, feel her grip on his arm, the black-rock cuffs on his wrists. He never wanted to come back here, but here he was. They had to do it, though. As long as the Mindtrap existed, the Brotherhood weren’t safe.  
  
It looked like he’d shocked his father enough that he wasn’t going to be affected anymore. Maybe he broke the connection, fried a certain nerve connected to the Moonstone. He didn’t know _how_ that connection worked, really.  
  
The Mindtrap wasn’t in the throne room, but they did find other areas of the tower Varian had never seen – maybe even were built after his imprisonment. In one such area, in a little room, they found the Mindtrap hovering above a pedestal.  
  
Varian hadn’t been there when it was taken from the Spire, so this was his first time seeing it. It was just a slab of rock with the Brotherhood symbol carved into it; a _glowing_ slab of rock, that is.  
  
“The Mindtrap, there it is!” Eugene said, moving towards it. Before he could grab it, though, another hand took it.  
  
“I’ll take that.” Adira said smugly before kicking Eugene back, knocking him to the floor.  
  
“How did she get here so fast?” Varian asked nervously, moving behind his father. Quirin moved a hand to his shoulder comfortingly.  
  
Adira walked over to stand above Eugene, holding the Mindtrap tauntingly.  
  
“Adira…” Eugene said, sitting up.  
  
Growling caught their attention and they looked over to see Hector and his animals had caught up to them. “Uh, dad?” Eugene said, getting up and backing up towards his father. “Wanna tell your friends to back off?” He drew his sword, then paused when his father made no movement to fight. “Dad?”  
  
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.” King Edmund said in an eerie way.  
  
Varian gasped as his father’s grip tightened on his shoulder. “D-Dad?”  
  
Eugene stepped back from his father as he dropped his sword in shock, and Varian looked up with horror as Quirin looked down at him with glowing, blue eyes. “Dad…” Eugene stumbled back and tripped on his sword, then looked around.  
  
His father was standing before him, his eyes glowing that ominous blue color. Adira was walking towards him, holding the Mindtrap high, her eyes also glowing. Hector was approaching with his animals, all ready to kill for the Moonstone. And Quirin…Quirin had _Varian_.  
  
Varian was pale, his eyes wide and frightened, his body trembling as his father’s hand on his shoulder tightened into a bruising grip. Eugene made a quick choice, picked up his sword, and ran over to knock Quirin away from his son before he took Varian’s hand and pulled him close, backing up to stand in front of his father again. “You were a member of the Brotherhood all along?” He asked, holding Varian close.  
  
King Edmund used his teeth to remove his glove and revealed a Mark of the Brotherhood on his hand. “We _all_ took an oath of allegiance to the Moonstone, son.” He said as Hamuel flew over and landed on his shoulder, his eyes glowing blue.  
  
“Even the _bird_?” Varian asked in disbelief.  
  
Adira threw the Mindtrap and the large King caught it with ease, looking down at his son. “Now that I managed to keep this out of your hands, that allegiance will remain with Cassandra.” He tucked it into his cloak.  
  
“Father, I _don’t_ want to _fight_ you.” Eugene said, looking up at him pleadingly. Varian’s small hands clutched at his sleeve anxiously as the Brotherhood moved closer to them. “And I know, deep down, you _don’t_ want to fight me.”  
  
“You don’t stand a chance.” Adira taunted.  
  
“Yeah?” Eugene retorted. “Well, I’m not one to walk away from a fight when my friends are in danger, no matter the odds!” He pointed his sword at her. “It’s just something I picked up from Rapunzel.”  
  
“But, you’re not the _only_ one at risk here, _are_ you?” Hector reminded him, and Eugene’s gaze flicked over to Varian.  
  
Adira took his momentary distraction as a chance to slam her leg into both of them, knocking them to the floor with cries of pain.   
  
Varian had been shielded, mostly, and recovered first. “Eugene, we—we gotta go.” He said anxiously, and Eugene got up, looking a little dazed. A large hand closed around Varian’s shoulder and he yelped, shaking himself free before taking off and running.  
  
“Varian!” Eugene pushed himself to his feet as Quirin chased after the teenager, Hector and the bearcats with him.  
  
“Worry more about yourself!” Adira taunted, striking at him.  
  
\--  
  
This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening. Varian fled through the tower, his father and…uncle? Yeah, okay, uncle. His family in hot pursuit. His family chasing him, hunting him. He choked back a sob as he fled blindly, hoping in vain to find anything he could use, or maybe a hiding place he could rest at long enough to figure out some alchemy solutions to this problem.  
  
He thought he’d avoided fighting his father when he rigged the helmet with a stun mechanism. He thought he’d figured out what to do. But, it looked like he’d been played for a fool all along, and now he was fleeing for his life, his shoulder throbbing from the harsh grip his father had done earlier.  
  
He stopped short when a bearcat found its way around and blocked his path and he let out a fearful whimper as he heard footsteps behind him.  
  
Why did he have to be so useless? He pulled off his backpack, hoping to get out _something_ of use, but Hamuel flew over and snatched the bag out of his grip. “H-Hey!”  
  
He cawed at him as he flew away with his bag and he was left with nothing, no weapon, no means to defend himself or fight with. And then he was feeling a hand on his shoulder and Hector was standing in front of him with a cold smile, his blade to Varian’s neck.  
  
“Gotcha.” He said with a menacing grin. Varian closed his eyes, preparing for death, but all that he got was being lifted into the air by his father and when he opened his eyes he was being hauled back.  
  
So, he was leverage. Without his alchemy, he was nothing to fear, no reason to hurt him. A small part of him, the part he kept trying to quell, irritably insisted he was more dangerous than they could comprehend, if given the chance.  
  
\--  
  
“Any…possibility we call this a draw?” Eugene asked, looking at Adira. His father had been standing by, watching them fight without a word. He looked up with surprise as Hamuel came out of the doorway Varian had run through, carrying his backpack in his talons.  
  
“Oh no.” He breathed.  
  
Adira took advantage of his distraction again and he was knocked into his father with a grunt. He grabbed onto Eugene and tossed him away from him like he was nothing, and Eugene hit the ground with a grunt of pain.  
  
“Dad, please!” He looked up as he heard Varian’s voice and saw Hector and Quirin returning with Varian held by his father like a rag doll. “Da—Eugene!” Varian noticed him and then let out a yelp as he was thrown to the ground, hitting it hard.  
  
“Kid!” Eugene ran over and knelt next to him, checking him over. “Varian, are you okay?”  
  
“Yes…” Varian groaned. “But, I’m going to _kill_ Cassandra if we live through this.” He grumbled.  
  
“Hahaaaa, yes, funny joke. Let’s not joke about murder, okay?” He helped him up and then they both had to dodge Hector’s blades as he slashed at them, the other three standing back as the bearcats blocked the exits.  
  
“Come on, snap out of it!” Eugene said as he narrowly avoided being hit.  
  
“Dad, come on! Help me!” Varian cried in vain.  
  
“Yeah, ‘dad’, help him.” Hector smirked.  
  
Varian paled as his father came over to join them and he was suddenly regretting trying to reach out.  
  
“We need to get the Mindtrap _my_ dad has.” Eugene said as he ducked around his reach and Hector’s blades.  
  
“I may be able to get to him but getting it from him is another thing entirely.” Varian replied before yelping as he was tripped by Adira, hitting the floor hard. “Owww, come on! That’s just not fair!” He protested, then winced as she stomped on his back.  
  
“Get off him!” Eugene charged at her. She kicked Varian’s side to make him slam into Eugene and they hit the ground together.  
  
“We need a plan.” Eugene groaned.  
  
“Yeah…” Varian winced, holding his side. “While I still have intact _bones_ would be nice.”  
  
Eugene looked up to see Adira handing Eugene’s sword to Quirin. “Oh geez…” He cringed.  
  
They were both unarmed and utterly helpless now. Surrounded by friends-turned-enemies – no, _family_. “You know,” Varian chuckled a bit, “we got the craziest crop for our family, didn’t we?”  
  
“Family?” Eugene asked.  
  
“Well, yeah. If they’re all part of the Brotherhood and consider each other family, that means that we’re family, too.” Varian said as they slowly got up, looking at their attackers warily.  
  
“Oh, cool, so we’re cousins?” Eugene chuckled.  
  
“Yeah. Bit of a crazy way to find out, but, yeah.” Varian clutched at Eugene’s hand and the man squeezed it gently. “We have to get through this.”  
  
“Yeah. We _will_ get through this.” Eugene smiled at him over his shoulder. “We’re Team Awesome.”  
  
Varian nodded. “And we both have skills that we’re not using.” He said firmly.  
  
“Skills?” Eugene asked.  
  
“You’re _Flynn Rider_. And I was on the run for _weeks_ and never got caught! We can do this!” Varian said encouragingly.  
  
“Right. First things first…” Eugene let go of his hand. “Let’s get out of this circle!” He ran and flipped over them while Varian ducked around reaching hands, sliding between his father’s legs. Then they took off running, the Brotherhood giving chase.  
  
“We don’t know the lay of the land, so here’s the number one rule! Don’t split up, we tried that already!” Eugene said as they ran together.  
  
“We need to find my bag! Where did that dumb bird go?!” Varian asked as they ran.  
  
“I think we left him back there. Why?” Eugene asked.  
  
“I was planning to set some booby traps, but we’ll just have to go without it.” Varian unfastened his belt and then untied his apron beneath before he put the belt back on and tied the apron’s strings around it so it didn’t flap around so crazily. “See! A weapon!”  
  
“Right!” Eugene took off his belt and then they turned to face their pursuers, their “weapons” at the ready.  
  
“Son,” Quirin stepped forward, “enough running around. Don’t fight me.”  
  
“Sorry, dad,” Varian gripped the apron tightly, “but I am _done_ taking orders from armored guys that chase me!” He ran forward and Quirin swung his sword at him. Varian dropped down into a skid and lashed at his hand with the apron, knocking his grip loose. Eugene ran over and struck him with the belt to take back his sword while Varian focused his attention on the bearcats.  
  
He unfurled the apron and held it out to the side, waving it tauntingly. The bearcats looked offended and charged and he ducked to the side to avoid one before jumping onto the other’s back, grabbing its fur and riding it for a bit before he yanked it hard and turned it back towards Hector.  
  
Hector, of course, didn’t take kindly to it, and slashed at him. Varian jumped off the bearcat and kicked him, then rolled to avoid his next attack.  
  
Where was Adira? Back with the King? They needed to get over there.  
  
Eugene let out a yell and he ran over with his sword, which Hector blocked. Varian took off for the other room and Quirin gave chase again.  
  
\--  
  
“Varian!” Quirin called, chasing him down. He was almost to the room when his father stopped and said, “That’s _enough_ , Varian.”  
  
It was a reflex, he couldn’t stop himself. He froze, his shoulders slumped, and he remained in place as his father walked over and stood in front of him, staring him down.   
  
“That’s _enough_ , Varian.” He repeated coldly.  
  
Varian’s head lowered, his entire body language submissive. “Yes, sir.” He said softly. He felt a hand on his shoulder and then a hand was tilting his face up to look at him through glowing, blue eyes.  
  
“ _Behave_ yourself.” His father told him sternly. Varian fought the urge to cry, staring up at the man as he said just what he knew would shut Varian down. Years of it had engrained the commands into his nervous system and he couldn’t fight it. Anyone else, he could resist, but never his father.  
  
“Dad…I-I’m sorry…” He held out his arms. Quirin knelt and lifted him up, holding him close as if he wasn’t possessed by a witch with moon powers.  
  
“I’m so sorry…” He whispered, reaching into his belt pouch and pulling out a small serum. His father didn’t notice, he just held him so he was no longer a nuisance, so that Eugene couldn’t fight without risking him. He opened the vial and then pushed it against his father’s lips, forcing him to drink it. He was startled, as if he didn’t expect it. He drank it, swallowed it, and then Varian pulled the vial away, holding on tightly as he wobbled. Then his hold loosened and Varian let himself drop before his father dropped to the ground, unconscious.  
  
“I’m sorry.” He said again, then looked towards Eugene, who was running up to join him.  
  
“Come on! I managed to knock out Hector, I tricked his bearcat into slamming into him instead of getting me. Now we just gotta get Adira and my dad and the Mindtrap is ours to destroy.” He looked at Quirin. “Uhm…is he…”  
  
“Knockout serum.” Varian said softly. “I keep it on me for when…when I can’t sleep without nightmares constantly waking me up. He’s having a dreamless sleep now.”  
  
“Right. Well, let’s get going.” Eugene smiled and held out a hand. “Team Awesome?”  
  
Varian nodded and took his hand. “Team Awesome.”  
  
“Heh,” Eugene pulled him to his feet. “Oh man, kid, you’re all beat to _heck._ ”  
  
“You too.” Varian pointed out. “We’ll worry about it later. Let’s get that rock!”  
  
They ran inside, where Adira and the Dark King were waiting for them.  
  
“Okay!” Eugene pointed his sword at them. “It’s just you two and us now!”  
  
Varian held his apron to the side, glaring at them as they looked back at them.  
  
“Okay.” Adira stepped forward. “Let’s see what you got, _Nephew_.”  
  
“I’ll take her, you get your dad!” Varian said as Adira ran at them.  
  
“Kid, you need _some_ combat know-how to fight her!” Eugene said with concern.  
  
Varian looked around and saw Hamuel sitting nearby with his bag. He rolled to dodge Adira’s kick and ran for the bag. He didn’t get far, though, because she was quicker than him and he was forced to dodge again.  
  
“Dad, come on.” Eugene tried to reason with his father.  
  
“Whoa!” Varian yelped as he got tripped and then was hauled up. He then held onto her wrist with a whimper as she carried him to an outcrop. “W-Wait! Please!” He cried.  
  
She stopped, holding him over the edge, a hundred feet up – maybe more. He didn’t know. It was a horrifically familiar scene, and he held on for dear life as he looked up at her. “Please…” He pleaded. “Don’t…don’t drop me…”  
  
She stared down at him, her expression cold, and then, to his relief, she pulled him back in before throwing him to the floor, hard. He stayed there, his body trembling in fear, as she went to go attack Eugene.  
  
“Wait—stop!” He got up and went after her, grabbing her, and she just swung him and used him to knock Eugene to the floor.  
  
To their horror, they looked up to see that Hector had joined them, apparently already up after his bearcat knocked him out.   
  
“Well, Horace,” King Edmund said as they approached them, looking down at them, “looks like the long line of Dark Kings ends here.”  
  
Eugene groaned in pain, his eyes closed. “Dad…I beg you.” He pleaded. “If there’s an _ounce_ of compassion left in your heart,” he opened his eyes, “please, _stop_ calling me _Horace_.”  
  
Varian looked confused. “ _Why_ does he call you—”  
  
“Apparently it’s my birth name.” Eugene admitted.  
  
They heard neighing and then Maximus and Fidella came running in. Varian realized that they must’ve seen him dangling earlier and realized what was going on.  
  
“Max.” Eugene said in surprised awe as they all turned to look at the horses.  
  
“Fidella!” Varian smiled brightly.  
  
The two guard horses scraped their hooves against the floor aggressively and Maximus neighed something, to which Hamuel cawed before he left his post by Varian’s bag to prepare to strike as the Brotherhood members approached the horses.  
  
They moved quickly, dodging around them and slamming into the fighters. Varian helped Eugene up and Maximus kicked Eugene’s sword to him so he could rejoin the battle. Varian ran for his bag, since Hamuel was distracted trying to strike at Maximus, the two having some kind of conversation, he guessed. Fidella was also in it, judging by her neighs and whffs. Maximus got ahold of Adira’s sword after knocking her into a wall and got into a fight with Hector.  
  
“Oh, you guys ticked off the wrong horses!” Eugene said as he ran to join the fight.

  
Varian got to his bag and, seeing it was up high, turned to the horses. “I need a boost!”  
  
Fidella galloped over and let him climb up with her help before she took off, leaving him stranded up there with his bag.  
  
“Uhm, thanks, I guess?” Varian called after her, wondering how he was going to get down now. He decided to busy himself with checking what he still had to use.  
  
Maybe a knockout bomb, but that would knock out _everyone_ and anyways the Mindtrap might wake them up sooner, the gas wasn’t as potent as the potion. With all the activity, he couldn’t really throw goo bombs without causing trouble. Maybe he should just stay up here until the fighting was over, he wasn’t in danger or a liability here.  
  
Maximus was extremely efficient, and Varian was suddenly glad that he didn’t ever have to fight this horse himself. Fidella was just as good and they worked together like two cogs in a machine. Eugene worked with both of them and together they were a fighting machine that made the Brotherhood look weak.   
  
Of course, it did probably help that the Brotherhood were down a member, thanks to Varian taking down his father. He closed up his bag and put it on his back before continuing to watch the battle.  
  
Hamuel flew at him and he gasped, throwing a goo bomb he forgot to put away at the bird. He fell down next to Varian and cawed in discontent.  
  
“Well, you tried to attack me, and you stole my bag. So, there.” Varian sighed.   
  
The Brotherhood tried to use a net to catch the horses and Eugene, but Eugene managed to dodge it and the horses were struggling. Varian frowned and looked to the side, seeing an arrangement of rocks that he could use to climb down. He picked up Hamuel and made his way back down while Eugene approached his father.  
  
“Even with your horses, you will never defeat us.” King Edmund gloated.  
  
“Yeah?” Eugene held his sword at the ready. “Well, I think we’re doing okay. They can’t move or the horses will get up, so it’s just you and me now.”  
  
“You won’t win, Horace.” King Edmund said calmly.  
  
Varian set Hamuel down, facing the wall, and walked over to get behind the distracted King.  
  
“The horses will get tired eventually. And so will you.” King Edmund raised his axe. “Give up, Horace.”  
  
“Dad, wait.” Eugene stepped back, raising his sword to block.  
  
Varian got up right behind the distracted man and reached into the satchel at his side, taking the Mindtrap and then creeping backwards before he realized what happened and climbing back up to his earlier seat while Eugene fended off the man.  
  
“Dad, please.” Eugene started, lowering his sword, “When I first found you, I resented you for leaving me.” He stepped back as the man raised his axe. “But—But, now I realized you were just trying to _protect_ me.” He let out a soft sigh. “I understand the sacrifice you were forced to make.” He closed his eyes, taking a deep death. “And—And I forgive you.”  
  
King Edmund lowered his axe, staring at him silently.  
  
“HEY, BROTHERHOOD!” Varian called, once up where he was left before. Everyone in the room turned to him, surprise on their faces as if they just remembered he was there. He held up the Mindtrap. “I hope you’re watching, Cassandra.” He raised the Mindtrap up high and then slammed it down onto the ledge where he was standing, shattering the Mindtrap into pieces. “Because you’re _next_!”  
  
A blue wave of energy spread out from the shattered Mindtrap and washed over the Brotherhood members. The glow vanished from their eyes and King Edmund shook his head as Hector, Adira and the animals let up the horses.   
  
King Edmund stepped forward, then pulled Eugene into a tight hug. “Thank you, son.” He said softly.  
  
Eugene smiled and hugged him back. “Dad.”  
  
He held him a bit longer, then cleared his throat. “I know this is a moment, but Rapunzel’s fighting for the fate of our Kingdom right now.” He said, reluctantly pulling away.  
  
“Oh, right!” Edmund said, holding him in one arm. “Bigger fish.”  
  
“Kid, are you coming down?” Hector called to Varian.  
  
“No, I’m just going to live up here for the rest of my life. Yes, I’m coming down.” Varian went to climb down.  
  
“Jump, I’ll catch you!” Adira encouraged.  
  
Varian looked at her in disbelief. “No, I don’t think I will.” He started climbing down the rocks.  
  
He got down and then headed off to get his dad. Adira followed him, probably suspecting what he was up to.  
  
“So, uh, no hard feelings about hanging you over the edge?” She asked pleasantly as she lifted Quirin to support him.  
  
“You were Mindtrapped.” Varian said, walking on his father’s other side. “We’re good.”  
  
“Good.” She nodded.  
  
They reached the others and Hector took over for Varian with helping support Quirin.  
  
“Score one for Team Awesome.” Varian grinned up at Eugene.  
  
Eugene smiled and hugged him. “Now, let’s go open that portal and free our friends and, y’know, save the kingdom. How long will your dad be out?”  
  
“Not too long, an hour at most.” Varian assured him.  
  
“Well, we’ll find him somewhere comfortable to rest. Let’s get back to the castle.” Eugene nodded.  
  
They got Quirin onto Maximus and then headed out together, going back to Corona as one group.  
  
\--  
  
To their relief, aside from some apparent trauma about having way too many eyes and some other stuff, everyone sucked into the portal seemed fine. Queen Arianna was concerned about Eugene and Varian being all cut up, but they assured her they were fine.   
  
Varian focused his attention on the machine, making sure it was all ready to be activated again. “Everything is up and running.” He said after tightening some bolts. “Alright.” He looked at them. “All set to send Zhan Tiri back.”  
  
He looked towards his father, who was slowly waking up. The joy of seeing him awake again was short-lived, though, because the ground started to shake.  
  
“Now we gotta figure out how to lure Zhan Tiri into that portal!” Lance said, pointing to it. As if the universe wanted to mock him, rubble came down and destroyed the portal. “Aw, come on!”  
  
More rubble started to fall and Varian ran to help his father up as Queen Arianna cried, “Everybody, get out!”  
  
They fled outside and gathered in the courtyard, then watched as a black, goat-squid thing came out of the window of Rapunzel’s tower bedroom.  
  
“Let the age of Zhan Tiri begin!” She declared.  
  
“Oh boy.” Eugene cringed. Varian agreed, the two exchanging nervous glances.  
  
End

**Author's Note:**

> Don't ever mess with their family.


End file.
